At the Institute for Regional and Urban Development Research (ILS) in Dortmund, a new research cluster focused on arrival neighborhoods has formed around KoMet researcher Dr. Heike Hanhörster. In collaboration with international partners, the ILS is conducting three studies to analyze the potential and challenges of arrival neighborhoods, using Dortmund’s Nordstadt district as a case study. The individual projects are funded by the Mercator Foundation, the Economic and Social Research Council, and the EU’s Horizon 2020 program.
Reception Facilities: Characteristics and Role in the Integration of Immigrants and the Social Cohesion of Urban Communities (Dec. 2020–Oct. 2021, Mercator Foundation)
Based on a systematic review of the international literature, this study describes the characteristics of arrival neighborhoods and the specific features of different types. Through original empirical research on a commercial street in the two case studies—Dortmund-Nordstadt and London-Newham—the study illustrates the structures that arrival neighborhoods offer to promote integration, as well as the challenges that arise in this context. The scientific findings inform recommendations for action tailored to different target groups and levels of political decision-making.
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Arrival Infrastructures and Migrant Newcomers in European Cities (01.03.2021-30.08.2023; Funded by the ESRC; lead institution: Coventry University; Prof. Dr. Susanne Wessendorf)
The project examines how different types of arrival-specific infrastructure enhance migrants’ access to social resources. The goal is to classify various types of infrastructure based on their effects on immigrants’ “arrival” and “progress.” The study compares different national policies and socioeconomic contexts using case studies from London, Brussels, and Dortmund. In Dortmund, using the example of the Nordstadt district as a traditional arrival neighborhood, the study examines the role local actors and institutions play in the integration of new immigrants. The research process is accompanied by practical workshops with participants from the three case study cities, in which impact strategies are discussed and mutual learning processes are initiated.
For more information, see here.
ReROOT – Arrival infrastructures as sites of integration for recent newcomers (01/04/2021-31/07/2025, Horizon 2020, Lead: KU Leuven, Prof. Dr. Karel Arnaut, local partner: Planerladen e.V.)
The project is based on the premise that, beyond formal institutions, a wide range of actors provides support structures for new immigrants. ReROOT focuses in particular on the role of established migrants who have already settled in the area and their involvement in shaping arrival-specific infrastructure for new immigrants. These so-called “arrival brokers” are already active in the neighborhood, for example in retail stores, cafés, hair salons, clubs, or religious institutions. They thus offer opportunities for low-threshold information exchange and serve as points of contact for migration-related issues (e.g., housing, the labor market, or educational opportunities). In cooperation with interdisciplinary partners, case studies are being conducted at nine European project sites. A particular focus is on innovative mapping tools and local networking platforms that are being developed and tested.
